The impact of psychotropic medication on daily activities:Psychotropic drugs and road traffic accidents: The MEMO Study

This article reports the results of a large, prospective, population-based study carried out by the Medicines Monitoring Unit at the University of Dundee, designed to determine whether users of psychotropic drugs have an increased risk of road traffic accidents (RTAs). It was found that while use of tricyclic antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors did not increase the risk of involvement in an RTA, the users of benzodiazepines did have a significantly increased risk. The effect of benzodiazepines was dose-related and was further increased by alcohol consumption. Most users of benzodiazepines involved in RTAs were taking anxiolytic rather than hypnotic agents. In conclusion, users of anxiolytic benzodiazepines are at risk of RTAs and should be advised not to drive.